We have loved our first year of school at home. Jonathan is an incredible student, who likes to constantly keep his teacher and the other pupils on their toes. :) He is so good with reading, math and music. Abigail is amazing with her writing,drawing and reading. Thomas is terrific with his building. Elizabeth is enthusiastic with her smiling and eating. :)
As we are developing our first year of "formal" schooling at home, we find ourselves constantly fine-tuning our direction. Tonight we were writing out our goals and thought we would post them here.
Our goal for our children's education is to help equip them with the skills to do whatever the Lord has for them to accomplish. We want them to be active participants in their world-- no matter how big or small their world may be. We want them have a Christian world view as seen through the lense of Scripture. We want to encourage them to respond to Christ's service by having a heart of service towards others. We want them to have a love for learning and the ability to develop the knowledge or skills in any field. To be logical in their thinking. To be articulate in conversation, on paper, or in public speaking. To enjoy music in private or public. To have the skills to learn a language or even languages.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Birthdays
Well, this is a two-person birthday post.
Yesterday, March 27, was Adria's 17th birthday. When I first met Adria, nine and a half years ago, she was one of Joe's nieces. It was Christmas time and I was meeting all of Joe's family for the first time. We had all met at great-aunt Julia's retirement home to do Christmas music. There was a swirl of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews...and I fell in love with all of them! Now my niece Adria is a beautiful 17 year-old who is wonderful with children and old people alike. She always knows what to say and has a gift of encouraging others. Adria, I praise God for you and am thankful that you have shared your Uncle Joe with me in such a big way. :)
Today, March 28, is my big brother Chris's birthday. Chris was always one of my best friends when I was growing up and I looked up to everything he did. Chris is one of those people that anything he tries, he can do. I have always been amazed at Chris's memory and talents. I am blessed to call him my brother.
When we were young, Chris was incredible with animals. He used to own many types of pigeons, show and race. He won many awards at shows and enjoyed racing his pigeons for fun. Wounded animals always were attracted to Chris and he nursed many birds back to health as well as a goat or two and was it an opossum?!?
When we were growing up I was always the one that liked to stay inside and read or cook or clean. :) Chris was always busy inventing things, catching things, building things... I remember my mom saying that Chris took the vacuum apart and put it back together when he was three!
Chris liked to go on bike rides with me. We would ride all over Crest, exploring the dirt roads that seemed to go forever. We would ride our bikes down the grade from Crest to Harbison Canyon. We also hiked a lot of the mountains around Crest and Harbison Canyon.
Those were great days of exploring and growing together. Now Chris has his own son, who is an incredible inventor, and a daughter who has one of those unique, always bubbly and genuine personalities. It is precious to see who Chris is as a man and father. May God guide you in this season of your life. Happy 31!!!
Yesterday, March 27, was Adria's 17th birthday. When I first met Adria, nine and a half years ago, she was one of Joe's nieces. It was Christmas time and I was meeting all of Joe's family for the first time. We had all met at great-aunt Julia's retirement home to do Christmas music. There was a swirl of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews...and I fell in love with all of them! Now my niece Adria is a beautiful 17 year-old who is wonderful with children and old people alike. She always knows what to say and has a gift of encouraging others. Adria, I praise God for you and am thankful that you have shared your Uncle Joe with me in such a big way. :)
Today, March 28, is my big brother Chris's birthday. Chris was always one of my best friends when I was growing up and I looked up to everything he did. Chris is one of those people that anything he tries, he can do. I have always been amazed at Chris's memory and talents. I am blessed to call him my brother.
When we were young, Chris was incredible with animals. He used to own many types of pigeons, show and race. He won many awards at shows and enjoyed racing his pigeons for fun. Wounded animals always were attracted to Chris and he nursed many birds back to health as well as a goat or two and was it an opossum?!?
When we were growing up I was always the one that liked to stay inside and read or cook or clean. :) Chris was always busy inventing things, catching things, building things... I remember my mom saying that Chris took the vacuum apart and put it back together when he was three!
Chris liked to go on bike rides with me. We would ride all over Crest, exploring the dirt roads that seemed to go forever. We would ride our bikes down the grade from Crest to Harbison Canyon. We also hiked a lot of the mountains around Crest and Harbison Canyon.
Those were great days of exploring and growing together. Now Chris has his own son, who is an incredible inventor, and a daughter who has one of those unique, always bubbly and genuine personalities. It is precious to see who Chris is as a man and father. May God guide you in this season of your life. Happy 31!!!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Sickness...
I am sitting here with a snuggling and sick Thomas. :( He has been quite sick all night. He had a runny nose on Sunday, a fever off and on yesterday and then last night around 9:00 he started saying, "Mommy, my tummy 'huts' sooo bad." His sleep has been very fitful and he has had many trips to the bathroom... He's such a strong boy and looks like a little cherub in my arms. I sure love being a mom--it is very special to give comfort to my sick Thomas James. Jonathan has a cough and runny nose and has gotten up a few times for drinks. I hope it's the same sickness but the symptoms seem different. Oh! I hear Lizzie, I'll go slip Thomas into bed now...
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Fritz and Christy
The other morning I was calling my father and mother in-law. The phone was answered with the question "Is this a Veritas House?" I cautiously answered,"Ummm, I don't know." Tom and Joanne then went on to explain that they were doing a word study on the word "truth" and found that it meant far more then they had ever thought. We typically think of truth as the antonym of a lie. However, it means far more than that. Veritas means the absence of evil.
Fritz and Christy were married 7 years ago today. God has blessed them with one daughter, that lived only one minute before going on to her eternal dwelling, and three strong, healthy, busy boys. Fritz has run his own school, built a timber-frame house, taken numerous trips to Europe as a tour guide, hosted dances, movie nights, and get-togethers that most people cannot even imagine. Christy has been a beautiful help meet to her husband. Christy is an encouraging wife, dedicated mother, gracious hostess, and great friend and sister-in-law. Many people have been challenged and encouraged by this couple's example.
The path that Fritz and Christy have chosen is one that has a deep desire to be a "Veritas House." Thanks for the struggles and victories you have been challenged and blessed with. Happy seventh wedding anniversary!
Fritz and Christy were married 7 years ago today. God has blessed them with one daughter, that lived only one minute before going on to her eternal dwelling, and three strong, healthy, busy boys. Fritz has run his own school, built a timber-frame house, taken numerous trips to Europe as a tour guide, hosted dances, movie nights, and get-togethers that most people cannot even imagine. Christy has been a beautiful help meet to her husband. Christy is an encouraging wife, dedicated mother, gracious hostess, and great friend and sister-in-law. Many people have been challenged and encouraged by this couple's example.
The path that Fritz and Christy have chosen is one that has a deep desire to be a "Veritas House." Thanks for the struggles and victories you have been challenged and blessed with. Happy seventh wedding anniversary!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Eternal Life
Our family has been studying a lot of things that explain, in detail, Christ's completed work for us. These things include learning CEF's wordless book, AWANA verses that have to do with the resurrection and salvation being a free gift, our evening Bible reading we've read through the whole Bible up to Acts and our morning we are reading Jesus' life. We've had lots of discussions about sin and our complete dependence on God for forgiveness.
We had a busy day and Joe was tucking everyone in and asked each child what they would like to say. Abigail said that she thought we should name our next baby Elizagail, Thomas and daddy thought the next baby could be Thomathan (no, there is not a next on the way). When it was Jonathan's turn he sat for a minute and then said "I would like to ask Jesus to wash my sins away." Joe came and got me. Jonathan then prayed the sweetest prayer "Dear Jesus, please forgive me for my sins and make me whiter than snow. Help me go to heaven so I can be with mom and dad. Amen" Daddy then prayed with him. When we were through praying Jonathan said that he felt like his sins had been like straw and Jesus blew it away and put bricks in his life instead.
We had a busy day and Joe was tucking everyone in and asked each child what they would like to say. Abigail said that she thought we should name our next baby Elizagail, Thomas and daddy thought the next baby could be Thomathan (no, there is not a next on the way). When it was Jonathan's turn he sat for a minute and then said "I would like to ask Jesus to wash my sins away." Joe came and got me. Jonathan then prayed the sweetest prayer "Dear Jesus, please forgive me for my sins and make me whiter than snow. Help me go to heaven so I can be with mom and dad. Amen" Daddy then prayed with him. When we were through praying Jonathan said that he felt like his sins had been like straw and Jesus blew it away and put bricks in his life instead.
Our dear son, we definitely need God's "bricks", or grace, in our lives. We daily have a desperate need for a foundation that can be built upon. We praise God for Jonathan's tender heart towards the Lord and pray that he will daily glean from the riches of eternal life in Christ.
"And this is eternal life, that they may know thee
the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
Friday, March 23, 2007
Teaching
My husband is an incredible teacher. He is able to make the most interesting and amazing lesson out of the simplest object. He teaches so that you don't just hear the information and then have the capability of getting the right answer on the next test (if the test isn't too far from when you learned the material). Rather, he teaches so that you have mastery of the content.
At dinner tonight Joe was telling us about a writing lesson he has been doing using Memory cards. He will give each student three random Memory cards (with a picture of, say, a bird, a flag, and a caterpillar), he will then give the students two minutes to write a mini-story using those three objects. The kids love it! They write as fast as they can and add wonderful details.
After dinner we were looking at the children's shirts and Jonathan had a race car, Abbie a strawberry and Thomas an anchor. So...here is our kindergartner's story that came from those objects:
The Anchor
by Jonathan Joseph Hinrichs, age 5
Once upon a time there was a ship with a boy named Thomas. A big wave came right over his head. It wasn't a storm, just a big wave. Then he started back to land. When he got to land he hoisted the anchor but he hadn't gone shallow enough so the boat floated away. Then he took a raft back to land and checked into the hotel for one night. The next morning they ate breakfast. They ate: strawberries and pancakes. After breakfast they took a taxi, a race car taxi, home. The end
At dinner tonight Joe was telling us about a writing lesson he has been doing using Memory cards. He will give each student three random Memory cards (with a picture of, say, a bird, a flag, and a caterpillar), he will then give the students two minutes to write a mini-story using those three objects. The kids love it! They write as fast as they can and add wonderful details.
After dinner we were looking at the children's shirts and Jonathan had a race car, Abbie a strawberry and Thomas an anchor. So...here is our kindergartner's story that came from those objects:
The Anchor
by Jonathan Joseph Hinrichs, age 5
Once upon a time there was a ship with a boy named Thomas. A big wave came right over his head. It wasn't a storm, just a big wave. Then he started back to land. When he got to land he hoisted the anchor but he hadn't gone shallow enough so the boat floated away. Then he took a raft back to land and checked into the hotel for one night. The next morning they ate breakfast. They ate: strawberries and pancakes. After breakfast they took a taxi, a race car taxi, home. The end
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Egypt
Jonathan went to Egypt with Grammie and Ryan, David and Gannon today. He came home with a pharaoh mask, a pharaoh collar, more of an understanding of hieroglyphics, excitement at having "seen" the pyramids and great memories with his uncles.
I am starting to appreciate people that will take the time to turn their house and yard into a different time and place. Maybe someday we'll have Rome in our living room or Abraham Lincoln over for dinner. :)
I am starting to appreciate people that will take the time to turn their house and yard into a different time and place. Maybe someday we'll have Rome in our living room or Abraham Lincoln over for dinner. :)
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